Genome-Wide Investigation of DNA Methylation Marks Associated with FV Leiden Mutation

In order to investigate whether DNA methylation marks could contribute to the incomplete penetrance of the FV Leiden mutation, a major genetic risk factor for venous thrombosis (VT), we measured genome-wide DNA methylation levels in peripheral blood samples of 98 VT patients carrying the mutation and 251 VT patients without the mutation using the dedicated Illumina HumanMethylation450 array. The genome-wide analysis of 388,120 CpG probes identified three sites mapping to the SLC19A2 locus whose DNA methylation levels differed significantly (p<3 10⁻⁸) between carriers and non-carriers. The three sites replicated (p<2 10⁻⁷) in an independent sample of 214 individuals from five large families ascertained on VT and FV Leiden mutation among which 53 were carriers and 161 were non-carriers of the mutation. In both studies, these three CpG sites were also associated (2.33 10⁻¹¹<p<3.02 10⁻⁴) with biomarkers of the Protein C pathway known to be influenced by the FV Leiden mutation. A comprehensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis of the whole locus revealed that the original associations were due to LD between the FV Leiden mutation and a block of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located in SLC19A2. After adjusting for this block of SNPs, the FV Leiden mutation was no longer associated with any CpG site (p>0.05). In conclusion, our work clearly illustrates some promises and pitfalls of DNA methylation investigations on peripheral blood DNA in large epidemiological cohorts. DNA methylation levels at SLC19A2 are influenced by SNPs in LD with FV Leiden, but these DNA methylation marks do not explain the incomplete penetrance of the FV Leiden mutation.     

H2S作为下游信号参与SA对低温弱光下黄瓜幼苗光合作用的调控

水杨酸(SA)和硫化氢(H₂S)在调控非生物胁迫下植物生长发育和生理代谢中均起着非常重要的作用,但二者作为信号分子在调控低温弱光下黄瓜光合作用中的互作关系还不清楚。本试验以黄瓜幼苗为试材,分别用SA和硫氢化钠(NaHS,H₂S供体)及其清除剂或抑制剂喷撒叶面,以适宜温光下去离子水处理为对照(CK),研究低温(8 ℃/5 ℃,昼/夜)弱光(100 μmol·m^-2·s^-1)下SA和H₂S对黄瓜幼苗光合作用的调控及互作关系。结果表明: SA可明显增强L-/D-半胱氨酸脱巯基酶(LCD、DCD)活性及其mRNA表达,促进内源H₂S产生;NaHS对苯丙氨酸解氨酶和异分支酸合成酶活性、mRNA表达量及内源SA含量影响不大。SA和NaHS可使低温弱光下黄瓜幼苗的光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率明显提高,胞间CO₂浓度显著降低;同时增强核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶、Rubisco活化酶、景天庚酮糖-1,7-二磷酸酯酶和果糖-1,6-二磷酸醛缩酶活性及其mRNA表达,促进光合碳同化;提高光下PSⅡ实际光化学效率和暗下PSⅡ最大光化学效率,从而减轻低温弱光胁迫对黄瓜幼苗的光合机构的损伤和生长量的影响。H₂S清除剂次牛磺酸(HT)可使SA对低温弱光下黄瓜幼苗的光合作用和生长促进效应明显减弱,而SA抑制剂多效唑和氨基茚磷酸对H₂S诱导的黄瓜幼苗光合机构对低温弱光的耐受性无显著影响,说明H₂S作为SA的下游信号,参与调控低温弱光下黄瓜幼苗的光合作用。     

典型功能层带-填埋场覆盖层中四氯化碳代谢机制及功能微生态响应

垃圾填埋场是四氯化碳(carbon tetrachloride, CT)污染的重要来源,明晰覆盖层功能层带中CT的转化机制对其污染控制尤为重要。本研究通过构建模拟覆盖层系统,开展了CT沿程生物降解及微生态研究。覆盖层理化特性分析表明,长期生物氧化使覆盖层形成了稳定存在的厌氧层(>45 cm)、缺氧层(15–45 cm)和好氧层(0–15 cm)功能层带,各特征层带氧化还原电位、微生物群落结构差异显著,为CT降解提供了生物资源和有利条件。降解结果显示,CT在厌氧层和缺氧层脱氯产生氯仿(chloroform,CF)和二氯甲烷(dichloromethane,DCM)及氯离子(Cl–),副产物在30 cm处浓度最大,好氧层中CF和DCM迅速发生好氧降解;CT降解速率为13.2–103.6μg/(m2·d),随填埋气通量增大而增大。多样性测序结果表明,不同层带功能菌属差异显著,中慢生根瘤菌(Mesorhizobium)为好氧层CT潜在降解菌属,硫杆菌(Thiobacillus)和间孢囊菌(Intrasporangium)为厌氧层和缺氧层潜在功能菌属;覆盖土中6种脱氯菌属和18种甲烷氧化菌...     

Diabetic Neuroarthropathy: Report of Four Cases

Diabetic neuroarthropathy was observed in four patients; these are the first cases of this nature reported in the Canadian medical literature. The criteria for this diagnosis included: (1) long-standing diabetes; (2) arthropathy, most frequently involving the foot, which shows deformity, shortening and ulceration without evidence of infection or peripheral circulatory failure; (3) abolition or diminution of pain on weight-bearing; (4) diabetic peripheral neuropathy with impaired sense of position or vibration and weak or absent deep tendon reflexes. Radiographic findings were similar to those in patients with Charcot''s arthropathy from any cause.Tabes dorsalis, leprosy, syringomyelia, myelodysplasia and the arthropathies of corticosteroid therapy were ruled out in these cases. In addition to conventional medical therapy the patients were treated by means of walking-casts for several months.Diabetic neuroarthropathy is probably more common than the medical literature would indicate. Diminished sensation in the lower limbs in diabetics of long standing appears to be the major factor contributing to this disorder.     

Topology and transport of membrane lipids in bacteria

The last two decades have witnessed a break-through in identifying and understanding the functions of both the proteins and lipids of bacterial membranes. This development was parallelled by increasing insights into the biogenesis, topology, transport and sorting of membrane proteins. However, progress in research on the membrane distribution and transport of lipids in bacteria has been slow in that period. The development of novel biochemical in vitro approaches and recent genetic studies have increased our understanding of these subjects. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the current knowledge of the distribution and transport of lipids in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Special attention is paid to recently obtained results, which are expected to inspire further research to finally unravel these poorly understood phenomena.     

The Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase alpha2 gene and trainability of cardiorespiratory endurance: the HERITAGE family study.

The Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase plays an important role in the maintenance of electrolyte balance in the working muscle and thus may contribute to endurance performance. This study aimed to investigate the associations between genetic variants at the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase alpha2 locus and the response (Delta) of maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2 max)) and maximal power output (W(max)) to 20 wk of endurance training in 472 sedentary Caucasian subjects from 99 families. VO(2 max) and W(max) were measured during two maximal cycle ergometer exercise tests before and again after the training program, and restriction fragment length polymorphisms at the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase alpha2 (exons 1 and 21-22 with Bgl II) gene were typed. Sibling-pair linkage analysis revealed marginal evidence for linkage between the alpha2 haplotype and DeltaVO(2 max) (P = 0.054) and stronger linkages between the alpha2 exon 21-22 marker (P = 0.005) and alpha2 haplotype (P = 0.003) and DeltaW(max). In the whole cohort, DeltaVO(2 max) in the 3.3-kb homozygotes of the exon 1 marker (n = 5) was 41% lower than in the 8.0/3.3-kb heterozygotes (n = 87) and 48% lower than in the 8.0-kb homozygotes (n = 380; P = 0.018, adjusted for age, gender, baseline VO(2 max), and body weight). Among offspring, 10.5/10.5-kb homozygotes (n = 14) of the exon 21-22 marker showed a 571 +/- 56 (SE) ml O(2)/min increase in VO(2 max), whereas the increases in the 10.5/4.3-kb (n = 93) and 4.3/4.3-kb (n = 187) genotypes were 442 +/- 22 and 410 +/- 15 ml O(2)/min, respectively (P = 0.017). These data suggest that genetic variation at the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase alpha2 locus influences the trainability of VO(2 max) in sedentary Caucasian subjects.     

过氧化氢酶抑制剂氨基三唑减轻急性酒精性肝损伤

本文旨在通过观察过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)抑制剂氨基三唑(aminotriazole,ATZ)对酒精诱导的急性肝损伤的影响,初步探讨CAT在酒精性肝损伤中的可能作用。以雄性Sprague Dawley(SD)大鼠为实验对象,采用酒精腹腔注射诱导急性肝损伤,在造模前30 min腹腔注射不同剂量ATZ(100~400 mg/kg)或相同体积溶剂(对照)。造模24 h后,检测大鼠血浆天冬氨酸转氨酶(aspartate transaminase,AST)、丙氨酸转氨酶(alanine transaminase,ALT)及乳酸脱氢酶(lactate dehydrogenase,LDH)水平,用HE染色法观察肝组织病理改变程度,用试剂盒检测肝组织内CAT活性、过氧化氢(hydrogen peroxide,H2O2)水平及丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量,ELISA法检测血浆中肿瘤坏死因子α(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)及白介素-6(interleukin-6,IL-6)水平。结果显示,ATZ处理可剂量依赖性降低酒精暴露大鼠血浆中ALT、AST及LDH水平,并减轻酒精诱导的肝组织病理损伤;ATZ可抑制酒精暴露大鼠肝组织内CAT活性、降低H2O2水平及MDA含量;ATZ也可下调酒精暴露大鼠血浆中TNF-α和IL-6水平。以上结果表明,ATZ可减轻酒精诱导的大鼠急性肝损伤,提示CAT可能在酒精性肝损伤中发挥了重要的致病作用。     

福州市蔬菜农药残留检测与分析

采用农业行业标准NY/T761-2008检测方法,用气相色谱仪对福州市3家超市和3家农贸市场销售的16个蔬菜品种共60份样品进行有机氯及拟除虫菊酯类农药残留的检测,并根据GB2763 - 2005标准判定检出超标情况.结果表明:农药残留检出率为31.67％;农药残留超标率为3.33％.从蔬菜种类上,白菜类、瓜类的检出率...     

人乳头瘤病毒-6 L1蛋白B-细胞优势表位作为多肽疫苗的研究

本研究分析了人乳头瘤病毒-6型L1外壳蛋白之B-细胞优势表位,并拟以此为基础制作表位多肽疫苗。研究中采用Goldkey和PC／Gene软件系统综合分析HPV6之L1蛋白B-细胞优势表位后,Fmoc固相合成表位多肽,通过HPLC纯化和毛细管电泳分析其纯度。与佐剂完全乳化后,免疫小鼠,进行动物水平的免疫效果评价。取免疫小鼠血清,与HPV-6 DNA阳性的尖锐湿疣患者疣体组织上清液结合,以鉴定免疫小鼠所产生抗体的特异性。发现L1蛋白第425-439位和第486-500位具有较高的免疫原性,可明显诱导小鼠血清抗体滴度升高,且该抗体与人尖锐湿疣疣体组织上清液呈阳性反应。说明所选这两个肽段为HPV6之L1蛋白的B-细胞优势表位,但诱导产生的抗体是否具有功能特异性,正在做进一步研究。